Meeting Minutes

Liz Frye again made an appeal for stories from Annual Conference. Send her your thoughts, impressions, joys, tears, insights, hopes, fears, etc. She will make them part of the scrapbook she is creating about that highly charged few days in June.

It was confirmed that a Reconciling ad will appear in the next issue of The North Carolina Christian Advocate (out the week of July 16).

Several people present are in touch with various people in the Western North Carolina Conference who are expressing interest in our group, how we got started, and how they can start groups in their areas. It was decided that we need an Outreach Committee (so Methodist!) to address the issue. Matt Connor volunteered to chair and Boo Tyson, Liz Frye, Jason McClellan, and Debbie Morgan volunteered to serve. They will meet and report to the group at the next business meeting.

Lori Messinger suggested that we need to think about what our many purposes/aims are, name them, and set up committees of interested people to work in each of the identified areas. I am not clear if a committee was formed to do this, but the group seemed to think it was a good idea.

There was discussion around the fact that we probably need to re-think our meeting system, whereby committees would so much of the actual "hammering-out" work and the group would approve or disapprove. There was a general feeling that there is a need for real support groups in addition to fellowship time. And all agreed that we need more PARTIES as our fellowship time.

The idea was put forth to advertise worship at Calvary as a place for those who feel excluded by the church, and that our group support Calvary in this way instead of having separate worship services six times a year. (We will still have our August 20 worship service as planned, with Debbie Morgan in charge of planning.)

Newcomer Laurie had suggestions for finding people who are interested in a group like ours but do not know we exist. In thinking about support groups, she suggested separate groups for men and women. To let people "check us out" she suggested arranging and advertising a "Happy Hour" at a local hangout. A group she was in in Texas had success with these ideas.

Jack Klein would like for Dan Rivera from the national RCP office to speak to our group about outreach (we really need the help!) when he is on his swing through the South this fall. Gayle Felton said she would try to arrange that.

Boo Tyson renewed the offer of a place at the beach for a fall retreat of those interested in leadership roles in RUMF. It was agreed that this should happen. More details at the next meeting.

The immediate leadership issue also needed to be resolved since Dean Blackburn and Lois Wright have given up their posts as co-facilitator with the end of this meeting. Lori Messinger and Jason McClellan volunteered to facilitate the July 17 meeting, but there were no volunteers to take over from Dean and Lois.

That's about it. If I missed anything or got something only half right, or completely wrong, please e-mail Matt Connor and let him know. And, if anyone else wants this job, just let me know. . . .